The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in coordination with the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, announced today that the University of Florida has confirmed seven cases of H3N2 canine influenza virus, a.k.a. “dog flu.” Six additional results for the virus are pending. All dogs being treated are in stable condition. There is no evidence that H3N2 canine influenza virus infects people.
While H3N2 has been circulating throughout the country since 2015, this is the first time it has been confirmed in Florida. This is a highly contagious virus. Fortunately, the mortality rate is low. Dog owners can have their veterinarians vaccinate their dogs against canine influenza viruses.
If dog owners suspect a case of dog flu, they should call their veterinarian prior to going to the clinic in order to decrease the chances of spreading the virus to other animals at the clinic. Many dogs have a fever, decreased appetite and lethargy during the first few days of illness. Most dogs recover at home without any complications. Some require hospitalization.
More information on canine influenza can be found here.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, call 1-800-HELP-FLA or visit FreshFromFlorida.com.
Insurance Commissioner Altmaier’s Message to Floridians: Prepare Now for the 2017 Hurricane Season
Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier has an important message for Floridians ahead of the hurricane season beginning on June 1.
“Florida’s unique risk to tropical weather, especially during the hurricane season, means all Floridians need a disaster plan,” said Altmaier. “The time to evaluate your insurance coverage, fortify your home and prepare for how to protect yourself and your family is now.”
Altmaier is also advising Floridians to take advantage of numerous hurricane preparedness resources available to them on the Office of Insurance Regulation’s (Office) website and offers the following additional tips:
- Review your insurance policy with your insurance agent or insurance company to make sure the coverage is adequate to your individual needs. The “Declarations Page” of your policy will summarize the coverage you have purchased.
- Understand the differences between your insurance policy’s coverages and deductibles.
- Strengthen your home’s defenses against a storm through simple mitigation techniques, such as replacing worn weather stripping under doors and removing tree limbs that may fall on your home or become flying projectiles.
- Inventory your valuables and possessions using a home inventory checklist, which is available as a form you can download and print. If you prefer to use a smartphone, there is a link to a free app created by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which allows you to take pictures and add descriptions of your belongings.
- Know the phone number and contact information for your insurance agent and insurance company. Make sure to have easy access to it if you must evacuate your home.
- Most importantly, have a plan for what you will do if a storm system is expected to impact where you live. Do not wait to evacuate if it becomes necessary.
For more information, visit the Office’s “Hurricane Season Resources” webpage.
Jeb Bush Endorses Mallea for Florida House
The former governor is confident Mallea’s conservative values
and leadership skills make him the right leader for District 116.
The Jose Mallea Campaign today announced the endorsement of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Mallea, a Republican, is seeking the District 116 seat in the Florida House, which is vacant following the resignation of Jose Felix Diaz, who is running for the Florida Senate. Bush served as Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007.
“There is no question Jose Mallea is the right leader for District 116,” said Governor Bush. “Jose has an inspiring personal story of working hard to achieve success in both business and public service, and now wants to ensure that same American dream is attainable for everyone, not just a select few. I know that Jose will effectively put his conservative principles and leadership skills to work in Tallahassee for the community he loves and for our great state.”
Mallea, a Cuban-American, grew up in Miami, where he attended public schools. He was a Senior Advisor in Bush’s 2016 presidential campaign, and he served in the White House as Special Assistant to Andrew Card, former President George W. Bush’s Chief of Staff. Later, he was a Senior Advisor in the U.S. Department of State Office of Commercial and Business Affairs. He is the Founder and President of Biscayne Bay Brewing Company.
The special primary election for the District 116 seat will be Tuesday, July 25, with the general election following on Tuesday, September 26.
Paid by Jose Mallea, Republican, for State Representative
Commissioner Adam Putnam Provides Wildfire Update for Florida
Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam and the Florida Forest Service announced today that more than 2,300 wildfires have burned over 233,000 acres in Florida this year, with 84 active wildfires burning as of today, May 30, 2017. Current conditions by county, burn bans and helpful tips regarding wildfires in Florida can be found here.
“As we enter what is traditionally Florida’s rainy season, much of the state is still experiencing drought conditions and elevated wildfire danger,” Commissioner Adam H. Putnam said. “Residents and visitors need to pay attention to and comply with local burn bans and should take every precaution to help prevent wildfire.”
Commissioner Putnam asked Governor Scott to issue an executive order on April 11, 2017 in order to provide full resources to combat wildfires. The last time a similar executive order was issued was in June 2011.
Forecast wildfire danger for May 30, 2017:
Active wildfires in Florida:
County Burn Bans:
Wildfires in Florida usually start and spread quickly, leaving little time to prepare for a possible evacuation. Homeowners can complete a few simple tasks that will help to defend their home against wildfire. One of the best ways to reduce a home’s wildfire risk is to create 30 feet of defensible space around the home.
To increase home survivability, Floridians can do the following:
- Keep mulch and pine needles away from your home, fence, and deck;
- Keep roof and gutter free of pine needles;
- Keep flammables away from your home;
- Store fire wood at least 30 feet from your home;
- Remove dead vegetation and debris from under the deck and within 10 feet of your home; and
- Make wildfire preparedness a family project.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.
PSC Customer Meeting for Lakeside Waterworks, Inc.
The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) invites customers of Lakeside Waterworks, Inc. (Lakeside) to a customer meeting on Thursday, June 1, 2017, to discuss the utility’s petition for a rate change. Customers can comment on Lakeside’s proposed rates and any quality of service issues at the meeting.
Lakeside’s last PSC rate case occurred in 2015. Lakeside provides water service to approximately 180 residential customers and wastewater service to approximately 170 residential customers in Lake County.
The meeting is scheduled for the following time and location:
Thursday, June 1, 2017
6:00 P.M.
Shangri-La by the Lake Clubhouse
100 Shangri-La Boulevard
Leesburg, FL 34788
For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.
Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.
NASA Asteroid Mission Leader to Speak at UCF
Dante Lauretta, the principal investigator for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, will give a public talk at the University of Central Florida on June 1 about the mission that’s working to recover samples of a nearby asteroid.
Lauretta, a professor of planetary science and cosmochemistry at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, is working with UCF Physics Professor Humberto Campins on the mission.
OSIRIS-REx, which stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer, is NASA’s first mission to return a sample of an asteroid to Earth. A successful mission will provide scientists with enough material from the asteroid’s surface to better understand how planets formed and how life began in the solar system. Data will also help scientists understand the nature of asteroids that could potentially hit Earth.
The free talk begins at 11 a.m. in room 161 of the Physical Sciences Building, located at 4111 Libra Drive on the main campus.
The mission launched aboard an Atlas V 411 rocket in September 2016 from the Kennedy Space Center and is expected to reach the asteroid Bennu in 2018.
That’s when Campins and fellow physics professor Yan Fernandez will really see their workload increase. They will work alongside a team of experts to assist Lauretta by analyzing the data and images taken of Bennu while OSIRIS-REx orbits the asteroid. They then will make a recommendation of the most “promising sample sites” for OSIRIS-REx to collect between two and 70 ounces of surface material with its robotic arm. It will then store the samples in a detachable capsule that is expected to return to Earth in 2023.
Lauretta said he was excited about the mission and the work the team would complete together.
“The team has built an amazing spacecraft, and we are well-equipped to investigate Bennu and return with our scientific treasure,” he said.
Campins has spent his entire career chasing asteroids, comets and other celestial bodies. He conducts research at observatories around the world, including Arizona, Hawaii, Chile, France, Spain and the Vatican. In 2010 he headed the team that discovered water ice and organic molecules on the asteroid 24 Themis and later on 65 Cybele. It’s that expertise that led Lauretta to invite Campins to the OSIRIS-REx team.
Campins earned degrees from the University of Kansas and the University of Arizona. As a graduate student he was named a representative to the Committee for Peaceful Uses of Outer Space of the General Assembly of the United Nations. His research has been funded by multiple agencies in the past 10 years, including NASA, the National Science Foundation, the European Space Agency, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and Florida Space Grant Consortium.
“I’ve always been fascinated by asteroids and to be able to contribute to this mission is a milestone in the search for answers I’ve been looking for my entire career,” Campins said.
The University of Arizona leads the OSIRIS-REx mission, Goddard Space Flight Center will provide overall mission management, systems engineering, and safety and mission assurance. Lockheed Martin Space Systems built the spacecraft. A host of national and international experts from several universities in the U.S., Canada, France, Spain, the U.K. and Japan rounds out the team.
CFO Atwater: Insurance experts only one call away
For free insurance assistance, Floridians can call 1-877-693-5236
Ahead of the June 1 start to the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater reminds Floridians to write down the State of Florida’s toll-free insurance helpline number (1-877-693-5236). Operated by the Department of Financial Services, the helpline connects Floridians directly to insurance experts who can help them file an insurance claim, better understand their policy, and settle setbacks that can arise during the claims-filing process.
“Getting back on your feet following a storm can be a stressful state of affairs, but I hope that having free and ready access to insurance expertise can help the recovery process run more efficiently for Florida families,” said CFO Atwater. “All Floridians should keep the helpline phone number on their emergency contact list and inside their family’s hurricane kit.”
Assistance provided by insurance experts working the helpline led to the recovery of $8 million during the first quarter of 2017. These recoveries included insurance claim payments that were previously denied or underpaid by a consumer’s insurance company and premium refunds that consumers sought the Department’s help collecting. Between January 1, 2017 and March 31, 2017, helpline experts answered 70,634 calls and opened nearly 5,000 assistance requests.
For a better chance of a complication-free claims process, Floridians should carefully review all insurance policies to ensure that proper coverage is in place for their home, car, and belongings. Common reasons for complications include a lack of adequate insurance coverage and insufficient documentation or proof of damage.
For added help preparing for the 2017 hurricane season, the Department’s Division of Consumer Services offers online disaster guides and emergency preparedness toolkits. Floridians can download and print free copies at http://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/Consumers/Storm/.
DEO Encourages Florida Businesses to Prepare for Hurricane Season
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) encourages business owners and managers to be prepared for the 2017 hurricane season that begins on June 1. Adequately preparing for a disaster is the best way to protect your business and ensure it gets up and running quickly after a storm.
DEO Executive Director Cissy Proctor said, “Businesses across Florida need to be prepared and have a plan in place for operations before, during and after severe weather and storms, especially during hurricane season. As we know in Florida, hurricanes and severe weather events pose a threat to much of the state. The best way to protect lives, property and our local economies is to prepare in advance. If you don’t already have a plan for your business, make one today at www.FLGetaPlan.com.”
DEO urges businesses to do the following right away:
- Make preparations now – Hurricanes pose risks for flooding and wind damage. Make sure your business is prepared for a flooding event by moving important items off of the floor. Prepare for high winds by removing or fixing broken items on the exterior of your business.
- Get a plan – Make sure your business’s emergency plan is updated. If you do not have one, go to www.FLGetaPlan.com to make one today for your business and family.
- Check your disaster supply kit – Review the items in in your disaster supply kit to ensure all needed items are there and up-to-date. If you don’t have a disaster supply kit for your home or business, prepare one now.
- Stay in touch – Keep cell phones charged and make sure all contact information for employees and other important contacts is current and correct. Alert employees to pay attention to news, phone and email, especially during the threat of a hurricane or severe weather.
- Stay informed – Visit the Florida Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center at http://flvbeoc.org today to register your business to receive updates in the event of a severe storm or hurricane.
As a member of the State Emergency Response Team, DEO coordinates local, state and federal agency actions that provide immediate and short-term assistance for the needs of businesses after a disaster.
Visit www.FLGetaPlan.com to create your business emergency plan. More resources on business preparedness are available from the Florida Division of Emergency Management at www.FloridaDisaster.org, the Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.Ready.gov/business, and the Small Business Administration at www.sba.gov.
ICYMI: WTVT: Gov. Scott Signs Tax Cut Package Approving Sales Tax Holiday
“Gov. Scott Signs Tax Cut Package Approving Sales Tax Holiday”
WTVT-TB (FOX) – Tampa Bay, FL
May 26, 2017
To view the clip, click HERE.
U.S. Forecast: Continued Expansion Hinges on President’s Proposed Economic Policies
The November presidential election pushed stock prices higher and boosted consumer and business confidence, but a good mood is not the same as a good economy, says University of Central Florida economist Sean Snaith.
“Unless this mood translates into actual economic spending activity, the boost in confidence enjoyed thus far will prove to be fleeting,” says Snaith, the director for the Institute for Economic Competitiveness at the UCF College of Business in his latest U.S. forecast. “Ultimately this will depend on the Trump administration’s ability to follow through on economic policies that will provide the impetus for spending to grow.”
Snaith says the administration must get its proposed tax reforms and infrastructure spending plans, which are critical to boosting economic growth, off the drawing board and into action. Snaith’s forecast predicts this will occur in late 2017 or early 2018.
The U.S. economic forecast, which is published semi-monthly by the Institute for Economic Competitiveness, projects the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates another 25 basis points in June, the first such increase since March. Stronger economic growth and higher inflation from Trump administration policies are expected to quicken the pace of increases over the next three years with the federal funds rate hitting 3 percent by the end of 2019, according to the forecast.
Real GDP growth, which slowed to 1.6 percent in 2016, is forecasted to reach 2.7 percent in 2017 and 3.5 percent in 2018 before slipping to 3.4 percent in 2019 and then 3 percent in 2020 as the Federal Reserve tightens interest rates. Consumer spending is the largest component of GDP. In 2015, real consumer spending growth was 3.2 percent, and in 2016, spending grew at 2.7 percent.
“The U.S. consumer has been playing the biggest role in supporting the economic expansion, tepid as it has been, over the past three years,” Snaith says. “Continued gains in employment, more rapidly rising wages and improving household balance sheets should continue to provide a solid foundation for consumer spending growth. Tax cuts and spending programs proposed by the Trump administration should also boost consumer spending growth.”
The proposed tax cuts include reducing the current seven tax brackets, which range from 10 percent to 39.6 percent, into three brackets of 10 percent, 20 percent and 25 percent, increasing the standard deduction to $25,000 for single filers and $50,000 for joint filers and reducing the corporate tax rate to 15 percent.
The housing market will continue to improve slowly through 2020 even with rising interest rates, and housing starts are expected to rise from 1.29 million in 2017 to 1.66 million in 2020.
The unemployment rate is expected to decline to 3.6 percent in late 2020, and job growth should be enough to keep up with labor force growth through the end of 2020. Underemployment, which has been a persistent problem in this recovery, stands at 8.6 percent as of April 2017 but also will continue to decline through 2020.
Inflation is expected to accelerate in 2017 pushing the Fed to move more quickly to raise interest rates. Core Consumer Price Index inflation will average 2.7 percent during 2017-2020.
For the full forecast, click here.
Snaith is a national expert in economics, forecasting, market sizing and economic analysis who authors quarterly reports about the state of the economy. Bloomberg News has named Snaith as one of the country’s most accurate forecasters for his predictions about the Federal Reserve’s benchmark interest rate, the Federal Funds rate.
The Institute for Economic Competitiveness strives to provide complete, accurate and timely national, state and regional forecasts and economic analyses. Through these analyses, the institute provides valuable resources to the public and private sectors for informed decision-making.
